The present invention relates to certain novel prostaglandin compounds which are 9-oxo-15.alpha.-hydroxy-16-hydroxy and 16-substituted-phenoxy-17,18,19,20-tetranorprosta-4,5,13(E)-treinoate derivatives.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an enantiomer or racemic mixture of 16-phenoxy and 16-(o, m or p)-substituted phenoxy prostaglandins represented by the following formula ##STR2## wherein R is hydrogen, lower alkyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable, non-toxic salt of a compound wherein R is hydrogen; and X is hydrogen, halo, trifluoromethyl, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy; and the wavy lines represent the .alpha. or .beta. configuration with the proviso that when one wavy line is .alpha. is the other is .beta..
In a second aspect, this invention relates to a process for making a compound of formula I which process comprises hydrolyzing with acid the R.sup.1 group of a compound of the formula ##STR3## wherein R and X are defined above and R.sup.1 is an ether-forming group.